Volman, M. (2005). A variety of roles for a new type of teacher: Educational technology and the teaching profession. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(1):15-31.
The article reports a study on the implications of the integration of computer technology into education. It concentrates on the influence of ICT in the teacher's role, the teaching profession and the educational labor market. At first computers were introduced in classrooms as a subject matter and the students were taught how to use computers. Later on, the computers were considered as a tool for learning and acquiring knowledge in different subject matters. Nowadays, computer technology is implemented in the teaching process as a major educational tool. The study presented in the article attempts to answer the following question:
What direction could changes in the role of teachers possibly take as a result of integrating computer technology into education?
How will the integration of computer technology affect teaching as a profession?
How will the integration of computer technology affect the educational labor market?
To answer these questions, a Delphi study was conducted. The study included interviews with experts in the field of educational technology and a round-table discussion of the interviews' results. The researcher started he study with a brief literature review of the teaching profession, computer technology and the educational labor market. The aim of this literature review was to help the researcher compose the questions of the interviews. The target population of the participants in the study included two school managers (primary and secondary education), two teachers (primary and secondary education), three educational scientists, two school advisors, an educational publisher, two policy makers, and an inspector of education. Later on, in the round-table discussion a consultant, a researcher, and a secondary school manager joined the participants. The results of the study seem to fit the constuctivist approach to teaching and learning. However, there were two scenarios in regards to the learning process, teaching materials, teacher's roles and competence and the organization of teacher's work. The first scenario basically supports the individualization of the learning process. The second one supports the authentic learning in a community of learners, supported by technology. In terms of the learning process, the first scenario suggests that the learners should work individually and the learner is totally responsible on his own learning process. The learner plans his own learning by choosing the assignments, monitors his learning by assigning to workshops that help him learn more about a particular aspect of the subject matter, and evaluates his own learning by downloading test from the test bank when he feels he is ready to take a test. The second scenario, on the other hand, suggests that students should learn in small groups and deal with authentic problems. Students learn to ask real-life questions that concern them, acquire skills that help them find the answers for their questions, and learn to present and interpret their answers. They also learn to share their findings, discuss them within the learning group and evaluate other's work. The ICT tools, in this case, are only means to provide real-life problems. In terms of teaching materials, according to the first scenario ICT teaching materials include lessons, assignments, tests and drill-and-practice programs with answers. However, the second scenario suggests that the ICT teaching materials should include access to sites like museums, libraries and informative sites rather than drill-and-practice programs. In addition to software that help the students organize their portfolios. In terms of teacher's role and competence, the first scenario suggests that the teacher is the organizer of the learning process in the sense that the teacher has to provide the learners with the suitable programs for the learners' individual needs. Therefore, the teacher must have the appropriate knowledge of individual learning processes and knowledge of the available computer programs. The second scenario, on the other hand, suggests that the teacher plans and implements projects and facilitates the learning process. The teacher in this scenario must have pedagogical knowledge and skills in addition to the subject matter knowledge. In terms of organization and facilities, the first scenario suggests that students are not organized in classrooms with regular teachers. The school is divided into study areas such as individual workplaces, consultation rooms and project-group rooms. The teachers will have flexible parts of day rather than hours. On the other hand, the second scenario suggests that the school cooperates with other organizations such as youth centers and the local neighborhood. In addition, the school itself operates like a small social community. To conclude, integrating computer technology into education entails a great change in the teacher's role, but does not replace his existence and power. The teacher has a major role in the learning process organizing and the use of ICT into education must support the pedagogical decisions made by the teacher. In addition, the integration of computer technology in teaching enriches the teaching profession. The tasks that a teacher has to do are different and require him to be more creative and specialized in different aspects. Finally, the integration of computer technology demands new jobs and positions in the educational field. The development of new positions makes the teaching profession more attractive thus preventing burnout among teachers. Reflection: In general, this article introduces a very positive and encouraging perspective of integrating computer technology into education. However, as a teacher who is recently demanded to work with ICT, I think the teacher's role is much more difficult and time and effort consuming, and I am not sure it can prevent burnout among teachers. After all it depends on the teacher's personality and capacity of accepting the change. In the school where I teach, I always hear voices of pedagogically good teachers who are not accepting the demands of the new teaching approach.
The article reports a study on the implications of the integration of computer technology into education. It concentrates on the influence of ICT in the teacher's role, the teaching profession and the educational labor market.
At first computers were introduced in classrooms as a subject matter and the students were taught how to use computers. Later on, the computers were considered as a tool for learning and acquiring knowledge in different subject matters. Nowadays, computer technology is implemented in the teaching process as a major educational tool.
The study presented in the article attempts to answer the following question:
- What direction could changes in the role of teachers possibly take as a result of integrating computer technology into education?
- How will the integration of computer technology affect teaching as a profession?
- How will the integration of computer technology affect the educational labor market?
To answer these questions, a Delphi study was conducted. The study included interviews with experts in the field of educational technology and a round-table discussion of the interviews' results. The researcher started he study with a brief literature review of the teaching profession, computer technology and the educational labor market. The aim of this literature review was to help the researcher compose the questions of the interviews.The target population of the participants in the study included two school managers (primary and secondary education), two teachers (primary and secondary education), three educational scientists, two school advisors, an educational publisher, two policy makers, and an inspector of education. Later on, in the round-table discussion a consultant, a researcher, and a secondary school manager joined the participants.
The results of the study seem to fit the constuctivist approach to teaching and learning. However, there were two scenarios in regards to the learning process, teaching materials, teacher's roles and competence and the organization of teacher's work. The first scenario basically supports the individualization of the learning process. The second one supports the authentic learning in a community of learners, supported by technology.
In terms of the learning process, the first scenario suggests that the learners should work individually and the learner is totally responsible on his own learning process. The learner plans his own learning by choosing the assignments, monitors his learning by assigning to workshops that help him learn more about a particular aspect of the subject matter, and evaluates his own learning by downloading test from the test bank when he feels he is ready to take a test. The second scenario, on the other hand, suggests that students should learn in small groups and deal with authentic problems. Students learn to ask real-life questions that concern them, acquire skills that help them find the answers for their questions, and learn to present and interpret their answers. They also learn to share their findings, discuss them within the learning group and evaluate other's work. The ICT tools, in this case, are only means to provide real-life problems.
In terms of teaching materials, according to the first scenario ICT teaching materials include lessons, assignments, tests and drill-and-practice programs with answers. However, the second scenario suggests that the ICT teaching materials should include access to sites like museums, libraries and informative sites rather than drill-and-practice programs. In addition to software that help the students organize their portfolios.
In terms of teacher's role and competence, the first scenario suggests that the teacher is the organizer of the learning process in the sense that the teacher has to provide the learners with the suitable programs for the learners' individual needs. Therefore, the teacher must have the appropriate knowledge of individual learning processes and knowledge of the available computer programs. The second scenario, on the other hand, suggests that the teacher plans and implements projects and facilitates the learning process. The teacher in this scenario must have pedagogical knowledge and skills in addition to the subject matter knowledge.
In terms of organization and facilities, the first scenario suggests that students are not organized in classrooms with regular teachers. The school is divided into study areas such as individual workplaces, consultation rooms and project-group rooms. The teachers will have flexible parts of day rather than hours. On the other hand, the second scenario suggests that the school cooperates with other organizations such as youth centers and the local neighborhood. In addition, the school itself operates like a small social community.
To conclude, integrating computer technology into education entails a great change in the teacher's role, but does not replace his existence and power. The teacher has a major role in the learning process organizing and the use of ICT into education must support the pedagogical decisions made by the teacher. In addition, the integration of computer technology in teaching enriches the teaching profession. The tasks that a teacher has to do are different and require him to be more creative and specialized in different aspects. Finally, the integration of computer technology demands new jobs and positions in the educational field. The development of new positions makes the teaching profession more attractive thus preventing burnout among teachers.
Reflection:
In general, this article introduces a very positive and encouraging perspective of integrating computer technology into education. However, as a teacher who is recently demanded to work with ICT, I think the teacher's role is much more difficult and time and effort consuming, and I am not sure it can prevent burnout among teachers. After all it depends on the teacher's personality and capacity of accepting the change. In the school where I teach, I always hear voices of pedagogically good teachers who are not accepting the demands of the new teaching approach.